One Stolen Moment
by SunnyEyes
Summary: They both needed to get away. They both needed to escape their thoughts. They were the last people that they expected to find...The last they expected to to be comforted by. DM/HG


_Author's Note: An idea I had in my head for a while now and thought I would finally put it to paper. I'm going to try and make this as realistic as this scenario could be. It's taking place during their 6__th__ year at Hogwarts, right after Hermione sets the canaries on Ron upon finding out about him and Lavender. _

_Disclaimer: I own nothing._

* * *

Tears burned Hermione's eyes as she ran into the dark courtyard. What was usually a familiar area was now obscured and blurred by her red eyes as she ran through the Hogwarts grounds. She didn't even really understand why she was so upset. She didn't know why she just set little birds after Ron. Well she did, but she didn't fully understand why. He kissed Lavender Brown. So what though? Why did it bother her so much? Why did it send her running out the castle in the middle of night with tears streaming down her face? She was embarrassed and confused…and hurt.

She ran until her legs finally gave out and she dropped to the ground a few feet away from the lake and in the safety of the empty grounds she let herself fall apart.

* * *

Draco Malfoy lied in his bed tossing and turning hearing the words of the Dark Lord over and over again in his head. He was given a task. A huge one at that and not only did his life depend on the completion of this task, but so did the life of his mother and father. Draco sat up in his bed with beads of sweat streaming down his pale face and looked around the dormitory to find everyone else sound asleep. _I have to get out of here. _Draco thought to himself as he slipped into a pair of pants and a sweater.

He didn't know exactly where he was going, but he didn't really care. He just let his legs carry him across the castle grounds. It was dark and shadows covered almost every inch of the school. He shoved his hands in his pockets and tried to push the Dark Lord's orders from his mind, but it was useless. Ever since he set foot in Hogwarts for his 6th year it was all he could think about.

When he reached the lake he sat on the grass and allowed himself to lie down and closed his eyes in an attempt to enjoy the peace and quiet of the cool night, but that a muffled whimpering interrupted silence.

Draco shot up and scanned the grounds trying to find the source of the sound, but the shadows concealed whatever it was. "Who's there?" Draco called into the night.

* * *

Hermione's head jerked up as the familiar icy voice reached her ears and she immediately stopped crying and looked around. She would recognize that voice anywhere and began searching for the owner of that voice and her eyes fixated on him. She was able to make out the figure of Draco Malfoy sitting not too far away from her. Should she say something? _No. Malfoy is the last person I want to see, especially right now_. Hermione remained silent.

When no one answered back, Draco pulled himself up and started walking towards the direction the crying came from. "Hello?" Draco called with cautious steps. "Show yourself!" he demanded.

Hermione watched as his figure advanced closer and thought it better to say something before he came any closer. "Shove off, Malfoy." She said before burying her face inside her folded arms, which rested on her knees.

Draco Malfoy froze in his tracks. He recognized that voice, the voice that pulled at his nerves everyday in class. It belonged to Hermione Granger, the last person he would expect and want to find out.

"Granger?" He said with surprise and loathing in voice. "What are you doing out here? Shouldn't you be inside celebrating your precious win?" he spat.

Hermione lifted her head and turned towards Malfoy's shadowy figure. He was referring to the Gryffindor quidditch win today. She actually was enjoying the win up in the Gryffindor Tower that is until she saw Lavender Brown attack Ron in a ferocious kiss in front of everyone. "Malfoy, I'm really not in the mood to argue. Can you please just go away and let me be," She snapped back trying not to choke on her words.

Draco stood there and crossed his arms. "You act like I actually want to talk to you, Granger. All I wanted was a little peace and quiet, but I find you out here blubbering like an idiot."

"Just go away." Hermione breathed between tears. "Please."

Draco couldn't explain what happened next or what came over him. His mind told him to turn around and walk away while calling her a mudblood, solely so he could have the final word, but his body did the opposite. He founded himself walking towards the huddled up Gryffindor and sat a few inches beside her. He dared not look at her but instead fixated his gaze on the moon's reflection on lake in front of them.

"Not that I care or anything, but are you okay?" Draco muttered still not making eye contact. The words shocked him almost as much as they shocked Hermione who slowly looked up at the blonde wizard who didn't meet her gaze.

"What's it to you?" She asked with reproach and sarcasm dripping in her voice.

"Nothing." Draco said still confused at the whole situation unraveling before him. "I'm just asking, because…I don't know… I'm just asking!"

Hermione didn't respond. She wanted to get up and walk away. Find another spot, one more private. But her legs were numb and she couldn't find the strength to pull herself up. The two sat in silence for about five minutes before Draco broke the silence.

"Seriously though, Granger. I was sure you'd be doting all over Weasel tonight. Seeing as he magically became a quidditch all-star overnight." Draco muttered as he allowed himself to lean back on to the grass.

Hermione glared at him and opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out, instead she just stood there and with her mouth slightly ajar.

When Hermione didn't make a sarcastic comment back Draco turned to face her and for the first time the two made eye contact. "Ah, it's about the Weasel isn't it." Draco said in a mocking tone. "What's wrong? Trouble in paradise?"

Hermione stood up and towered over Malfoy as her hands balled into fists so tightly her nails dug into her skin. "You are such an arrogant prat, Malfoy! You don't even know the half of what is going on! Why are you here anyways? Because tormenting me during the day isn't enough?"

Draco now stood up and faced her his icy cold grey eyes found her dark brown in the moonlight and he glared deeply into them. "What don't I know, Granger? What could be so horrible in your pathetic little love life that I wouldn't understand? Hmm? Let me stifle a guess… Let's see… He didn't say thank you when you let him copy your homework? Or hm, he couldn't buy you an anniversary present because he's too poor so he had his mum make you a ridiculous sweater? Or is he to daft to even notice your affections for him?" He finished crossing his arms and leaning a little forward to intensify the glare he was casting down on her. "You don't even know what a real problem is, Granger. You're too busy following Potter and Weasley blindly to even have your own problems. But perhaps it's better that way, then you aren't left to scrutinize your own pathetic life."

Hermione couldn't stand to hear another word she reached up and slapped Draco Malfoy right across the face biting her lip in hopes to keep from more tears falling from her eyes. Malfoy lost footing for a good second and Hermione's hand stung. "Don't try to act like you know my problems, Malfoy." She seethed.

Draco turned back to meet her gaze. He refused to hold his burning cheek and give her the satisfaction in knowing that she did in fact hurt him. "You're going to regret that." He said through clenched teeth.

"There is absolutely nothing you can do that will hurt me anymore than I already am, so you might as well leave." As the last word came from Hermione's mouth she turned and started walking forward closer to the lake. Draco watched her and storm off and started after her. No one walked away from a Malfoy like that.

"You know what your problem is, Granger?" Draco yelled. "You think you have real problems, but they are nothing but those of a school girl. You wouldn't know how to face a real life problem without step-by-step instructions in a textbook.

Hermione spun around so suddenly that she almost stumbled right into Draco Malfoy. "Problems of a school girl? I'd love to see you handle my 'school girl problems'! I bet even my actual school girl problems would cause you more stress then even your direst of problems." She shouted as she inched closer and closer to him, causing Draco to take a few steps back.

"Try me." Draco pressed. They held each other's gaze for a few moments before Hermione sighed and turned back towards the lake and plopped on the ground.

"Why am I even trying to reason with you?" She asked more to herself than to Draco. "There's no point. You're so arrogant that even if I did tell you, you wouldn't comprehend."

Draco sat down next to her and stared off into the distance. "To tell you the truth, Granger, I don't even know why I'm still talking to you."

Silence settled between the two again. Neither daring to look at the other. Draco almost forgot that she was there until she spoke so softly it was like a whisper, almost as if she didn't actually want him to hear it. "Have you ever felt truly alone?"

He turned and looked at her, her gaze still fixated in front of them. He saw her dark brown eyes glaze over. He didn't know what he felt in that very moment…pity? Sympathy? Empathy? "Actually…" he chuckled before turning back to the lake. "You honestly, have no idea."

Hermione faced him and for the first time he actually seemed human.

"What would you know about loneliness though?" He remarked. "You're apart of the golden trio." He said placed exaggerated emphasis on 'golden trio.'

Hermione laughed a little, "Actually Malfoy, you have no idea." She released her knees that she was hugging tightly to her chest. "It seems so perfect from the outside, but really… I feel like they don't really see me."

"What are you talking about, Granger? Those two fawn over you so much it's pathetic. They'd be lost without you or dead." Draco stated. "Especially, Weasley."

She turned to him and raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean 'especially Weasley?"' she asked.

Draco snorted. "You know for someone so book smart, you're as helpless as Longbottom when it comes to this. Weasley is hopelessly in love with you. The whole school knows that. Except you two of course."

Hermione just stared at him. "That is…" but she didn't get the chance to finish.

"And you love him."

At this Hermione stood up in shock that Draco would say such a thing. "Excuse me?"

"Oh I'm sorry. Was that supposed to be a secret?" Draco mocked. Hermione was again speechless. She involuntarily sat back down on the grass.

"I really hate you." She whispered.

Draco laughed again. "I'm not exactly fond of you either."

The two sat in silence once more. Neither moving. Both trying to figure out why they were still sitting so close next to the one person they despised the most.

"You want to know a real problem, Granger." Draco said as more of a command rather than a question. "Having so many lives depending on your actions. One wrong step and that's it. Done. Game over."

Hermione tried not to laugh. She wondered what he could possibly be talking about, upholding the precious Malfoy family name? She turned to him about to make a sarcastic comment, but decided against it when she saw the look on his face. His cold and hard features seemed softer and more vulnerable. His gaze no longer seemed to be on the lake in front of them, but on something bigger and further in the distance. A strange feeling that she never dreamed she could feel towards Malfoy aroused inside of her… compassion. Without realizing what she was doing she reached over and lightly placed her hand on top of his. "I do." She whispered.

_What was she doing! _Draco thought to himself as he looked down and saw her hand on top of his. He wanted to pull his hand away and curse her for thinking that it was okay for a mudblood to touch a pureblood. But something inside him wouldn't let him carry out those actions. Instead they held each other's gaze, grey found brown as they slowly inched a little closer.

"I don't know why I did that…" Hermione whispered.

"I don't either." The two inched closer together.

"No one can know about any of this." She breathed as her eyelids slowly started to close.

"I'll never tell." Draco replied as their lips slowly parted.

Everything around them seemed to melt away. Whatever it was that brought the two of them out to here seemed so far away. Their lips barely touched one another when a loud voice called out…

"HERMIONE!"

Everything slammed back into place and reality hit them harder than a stupefy curse. Hermione and Draco jumped back both breathing hard as they finally realized what almost happened.

"HERMIONE!"

A voice called out again. Hermione jumped up and looked over her shoulder back towards the castle. She recognized the voice belonging to Harry and Ginny. They must have come looking for her. She turned back to Draco who was also standing but was now a few feet away.

"I better go…" Hermione muttered looking down at the ground as she twiddled her fingers.

"Yeah… you should." He said not looking towards her.

Hermione began walking towards Harry and Ginny's voices, but Draco called after her.

"Hermione…." Their gazes met again and held one another's. "No one can know about any of this." Draco finally said before looking towards the castle and breaking the intense eye contact.

Hermione crossed her arms tightly over her chest. "I'll never tell."

And with that she walked away without turning back. Draco sat on the grass and ran his hands through his blonde hair and took a deep breath. He didn't know what just happened. Nor did he understand. When he was sure they were gone and back inside the castle he pulled himself up and stared at the lake. He closed his eyes and released any lingering thoughts of the night into the air.

With that, he turned from the lake and slowly made his way back to the castle.

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_This turned out much longer than I had originally anticipated, but I hope you all enjoyed it nonetheless! Feel free to leave your thoughts in a review._

_Thanks for reading _


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